This application seeks support for participation of American scientists in the 11th International Symposium on the Maillard Reaction (ISMR11). The Maillard Reaction (MR) encompasses a broad range of chemistry that occurs by reaction of carbohydrates and lipids with proteins during the processing and cooking of foods. The same reactions also contribute to the chemical modification of body proteins during normal aging. However, the accumulation of MR products is accelerated by hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress and contributes to inflammation, alterations in protein structure and function, and development of pathology in age-related chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cataracts and macular degeneration. ISMR11 is the next in a series of interdisciplinary conferences of food and biomedical scientists who have met at ~3 year intervals since 1979. It will bring together ~300 scientists from academic and research institutions, government and industry, drawn equally from Europe, Australasia and the Americas. The goal of the conference is to foster scientific exchange and collaboration among the participants and to stimulate and enhance research into nutritional, toxicological and biomedical aspects of the Maillard reaction (MR). ISMR11 will convene in Nancy, France, from September 16 - 20, 2012. The keynote address will be given by Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, a Chemistry Nobel Laureate from the University of Strasbourg with expertise in the study of complex reaction systems. An additional 9 plenary lectures and 15 sub-plenary lectures will be presented, followed by sessions addressing: 1) Nutrition and Food Science; 2) Biology and Medicine; and 3) Chemistry of the Maillard Reaction. Each session is co-chaired by a senior and junior scientist, starting with the presentations by the co-chairs. Chairs and presenters are, in part, invited in advance by the Scientific Advisory Committee, and, in part, selected by the Committee based on abstract submissions. Approximately 20% of the time allotted to each speaker is set aside for discussion and questions. Poster Sessions, scheduled to begin at the end of the second day of the meeting, provide a mechanism for informal exchange and for recognition and reward of outstanding young investigators. The Proceedings of these symposia are always published, generally exceeding 500 pages. They provide a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art in research on the Maillard reaction. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Maillard reaction of sugars and lipids with proteins contributes to the natural aging of tissues, but, when accelerated by hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress, also contributes to inflammation and pathology in a wide range of age-related chronic diseases, including arthritis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, cataract and macular degeneration. The 11th International Maillard Symposium brings together food and biological scientists to address the role of the Maillard reaction in chronic disease and highlights current research trends, including: development of better analytical methods for quantifying the scope of Maillard damage in tissues; evaluation of the effects of the Maillard reaction on the nutritional and toxicological properties of foods; elaboration of mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in Maillard reaction damage to tissues in chronic disease; and development of therapeutic strategies for inhibiting the pathophysiological consequences of the Maillard reaction. The International Maillard Symposia provide a unique opportunity for exchange of scientific information across a wide range of disciplines, setting the stage for long-term improvements in human health and treatment of chronic disease.